This invention relates to an electrical connector for connecting a flat connection member such as a flexible flat cable (FFC) and a flexible printed circuit (FPC) to a connection object such as a printed circuit board (PCB).
A first conventional electrical connector of the type is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication (JP-U) No. 6-77186 (77186/1994). The first conventional electrical connector comprises an insulator housing having a base, a plurality of contacts fixed to the housing and having contact portions exposed above the base, and a pressing member rotatably supported to the housing. A connection member or FPC is at first disposed at a predetermined connecting position on the contact points of the plurality of contacts. Then, the pressing member is rotated to press the FPC against the contact points so that the FPC is connected to the contacts. The contacts are, for example, soldered to a PCB so that the FPC is connected to the PCB.
A second conventional electrical connector of the type is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication (JP-U) No. 5-6759 (6759/1993). The second conventional electrical connector comprises an insulator with a receptacle hole formed therein, a plurality of conductive contacts fitted in the receptacle hole, and a slider member. Each of the contacts has a holding portion held by the insulator at a rear side of the receptacle hole, a fixing portion extending from the holding portion towards a front side of the receptacle hole, and a contacting spring portion extending from the holding portion towards the front side of the receptacle hole in parallel to the fixing portion with a space kept therefrom. The contacting spring portion has a contact point formed at its one end to protrude towards the fixing portion.
The slider member has a slider base portion and a pressing portion extending from the slider base portion along the fixing portion to be removably inserted into the receptacle hole.
In the second conventional electrical connector, a connection member is inserted between the fixing portion and the contacting spring portion of each contact until the connection member reaches a predetermined connecting position over the contact points of the contacts. Then, the pressing portion of the slider member is placed on the connection member. Thereafter, the slider member is inserted into the receptacle hole and slides from the front side towards the rear side until the slider member reaches a predetermined slide position. At this time, the pressing portion presses the connection member against the contact points so that a plurality of conductive portions of the connection member are electrically connected to the contact points in press contact therewith.
However, the first conventional electrical connector is disadvantageous in the following respects. Specifically, in case where the connection member is not rightly disposed at the predetermined connecting position and the pressing member is rotated, connection between the connection member and the contact points becomes incomplete.
Even if the connection member is completely inserted to the predetermined connecting position, the connection member may be undesirably released from the insulator due to external force or vibration before the pressing member is rotated to the predetermined pressing position.
On the other hand, the second conventional electrical connector is disadvantageous in the following respects. Specifically, in case where the connection member is not completely inserted to the predetermined connecting position and the slider member slides to the predetermined slide position, connection between the connection member and the contact points becomes incomplete.
In addition, the contacting spring portion is continuously subjected to reactive force from the pressing portion of the slider member so that spring force of the contacting spring portion is gradually decreased. Thus, it is impossible to keep stable and reliable connection over a long period of time.
Even if the connection member is completely inserted to the predetermined connecting position, the connection member may be undesirably released from the insulator due to external force or vibration before the slider member slides to the predetermined slide position.
In both of the first and the second conventional electrical connectors, whether or not the connection member is completely inserted to the predetermined connecting position is confirmed through visual observation by an operator. Such confirmation is difficult and unreliable and often fails to detect incomplete insertion.
In the first conventional electrical connector, the connection member is held or clamped between the contact points of the contacts and the pressing member. In the second conventional electrical connector, the connection member is held or clamped between the contact points and the slider member. In either event, clamping force is weak and the connection member may easily be released from the insulator.